Apparently there is little in the way of news story on this one. If you find something, please email it to me at john at activeselfprotecion.com and I will add it. Thanks!

What does this video teach us about defending ourselves against carjackers?

The first and most foundational part of Active Self Protection’s defensive strategy of “Attitude, Skills, Plan” is Attitude. You must cultivate the attitude that you are responsible for your own self-protection and you are the primary agent in your own rescue. You and only you can choose to cultivate an attitude that no one has the right to harm you or your loved ones and you have a right and a responsibility to stop anyone who threatens to harm you and yours. This armed victim certainly had excellent attitude of self-protection!

You must know what parts of your car offer cover, and what parts of your car are only concealment. Car doors and windows are no help against bullets, friends. They are concealment. The engine block provides cover, as do steel wheels and the transmission and axles. If you have to use your car to protect yourself from incoming fire, movement is your best friend and you must be ready to shoot from unconventional positions. Taking a course on using a handgun in a vehicle is much advised.

If you can use your car to escape, that’s normally your best bet. If you CAN’T use your car to escape for whatever reason (you’re blocked in, it’s dead, etc.) then it becomes a mobile coffin where you can’t really move, and you can’t freely maneuver to engage threats all around you. In that case, do what you can to get away from the coffin. Use the car as cover or concealment if you can, but don’t stay in the car if it’s not going to be moving.

Please carry a quality firearm that you have tested and know to be 100% reliable. Malfunctions DO happen even in the best guns (machines all fail at some point), but quality firearms made by reputable manufacturers such as Glock, Heckler and Koch, Sig Sauer, FN, and Smith and Wesson have well-earned reputations for reliability. Vet the reliability of YOUR particular carry gun such that you know it’ll function reliably in the moment of need. (my standard is 400 target rounds and 100 of the rounds that I will carry in it without a single malfunction before I will carry it, and any non-ammo malfunction in the gun resets that clock after fixing the problem) Knowing how to clear a malfunction is an important skill to have for defensive pistol use, but preventing the malfunction before it happens is a far superior strategy.

Since marksmanship is so vital, your best bet to put shots on target quickly is to have both hands on your handgun. Two-handed shooting gives the most stable platform (especially if you use a thumbs-forward grip) and best recoil control for follow-up shots. There will be times and circumstances where shooting one-handed is the only option, but for best marksmanship get a solid two-handed grip as your default and goal.

There are 3 additional lessons for Patron Members and 3 class starters for Instructors from this video, so please join us in those programs to see them!

Copyright Disclaimer. Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.

If you’re a carjacking victim, then your life and safety are at risk BIG TIME. You must be ready to be smart about protecting yourself! This intended victim took the carjacker for a ride, and that was great strategy.

If you value what we do at ASP, would you consider becoming an ASP Patron Member to support the work it takes to make the narrated videos like this carjacking victim taking the carjacker for a ride? https://get-asp.com/patron gives the details and benefits.

What does this video teach us about defending ourselves against a carjacking?

The first and most foundational part of Active Self Protection’s defensive strategy of “Attitude, Skills, Plan” is Attitude. You must cultivate the attitude that you are responsible for your own self-protection and you are the primary agent in your own rescue. You and only you can choose to cultivate an attitude that no one has the right to harm you or your loved ones and you have a right and a responsibility to stop anyone who threatens to harm you and yours.

Situational awareness is your best friend. It doesn’t mean that you always are paranoid or living in “condition orange,” but it does mean that you know Col. Cooper’s color code of awareness and you live by it. Pay attention to your surroundings, and recognize that when you’re in public places you need to be more aware of your surroundings than when you’re in private. If the intended carjacking victim wasn’t aware of the dangers in the area, and aware of a motorcycle with potential carjackers in it, they wouldn’t have sped off when the moto dove in front of them. Good awareness!

Your car is not a private space, and you must continue to think of yourself like you’re in public. If ever you wonder if people don’t think of themselves as in public in the car, pay attention to drivers in their cars and see how often they are picking their nose or singing along at high volume. Don’t let your smartphone take all your attention when you’re in the car, either! Think of yourself as walking down the street and pay attention accordingly.

One of the best ways to protect yourself while you’re in the car is to simply drive off. The car can get away quickly if you are ready, taking you out of danger. So be ready to drive off if you need to! Keep the car in drive until you’re ready to get out. Keep the engine running. If you’re aware of your surroundings you can escape a lot of problems.

Your car can be used as a very effective force multiplier if you are willing to use it. While a handgun might deliver 300-500 ft-lbs of energy, a car delivers on the order of 200,000 ft-lbs of energy at 40mph. (calculate your car’s KE here: https://get-asp.com/swon if you’re a nerd like me!) Being behind the wheel with a deadly threat in front of you also puts the engine block between you and the threat; engine blocks are effective cover. It makes sense to use your car if you are in it to defend yourself.

There are 3 additional lessons for Patron Members and 3 class starters for Instructors from this video, so please join us in those programs to see them!

Copyright Disclaimer. Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.

In some places in the world, carjacking is one of the chief dangers most people regularly face. Even in parts of the US, carjacking is incredibly common! (Detroit, for instance, has 2 a day) Knowing effective carjacking defense is a useful skill for self-defenders to have, and knowing the limits of that defense is important too.

If you value what we do at ASP, would you consider becoming an ASP Patron Member to support the work it takes to make the narrated videos like this carjacking gone wrong? https://get-asp.com/patron gives the details and benefits.

News story on this carjacking: https://get-asp.com/yakj Notice in this story (Google Translate required from Spanish) the PM said that the guy threatened to kill him, though the video seems to show that he was out of the danger zone. Also, the perp’s gun was fake. Nothing the PM could do about that in the moment, though.

What does this video teach us about defending ourselves against a carjacking?

Transitional spaces are places where we MUST be more careful of potential attack. A transitional space is any location that (1) allows attackers to prey on potential victims with an element of surprise and (2) provides ready escape for the attackers. The stupid teens used the cover of the door and the transitional space to launch their robbery from obscurity, which made the clerk react quickly and before he could process the information. Cars become transitional spaces when they’re stopped. If you’re in a stopped vehicle, you’re in a transitional space.

Perhaps the biggest benefit of situational awareness is that it buys you time and space to respond to a threat, and time and space buy you options when considering how to protect yourself and your loved ones from a threat. Time and space give you the chance to escape and evade, or time and space to get your force multiplier in the fight, and time and space to better your defensive position and give you a better chance to be victorious. The news story says that the victim here was distracted by texting with friends on his phone. Doing that on a public road takes your awareness away and makes you a more likely target of attack!

If the attacker has a gun drawn on you, there is nothing you’re going to do in that moment to get your gun into the fight. It’s just not going to happen, and this video shows that well. You cannot draw from the drop! When someone has the drop on you, with a gun out and attention on you, it’s suicide to go for your gun. You have to earn your draw against the drop, and you earn that draw by either waiting for a moment of distraction for the armed robber (like if he looks away to check for people coming) or by closing the gap and using empty-handed skills to take his opportunity to use his gun away. If you don’t do either of those, you will likely be shot before your gun is in the fight.

In almost all instances and jurisdictions you cannot use deadly physical force to defend property. (Texas is the rare exception to this, but recognize that TPC 9.42 has some significant limitations) Even in cases where you COULD use deadly physical force to defend property, it’s worth considering whether it is WISE to use deadly physical force because of the risk to yourself and to any bystanders that could come because you choose to continue to engage the criminal(s). That doesn’t usually apply to occupied buildings and cars because of the inherent value of the people inside of them, and the defense of property does vary considerably from state to state as to what’s acceptable. Please consult with a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction to be sure that you understand the laws of your area!

One of the five pillars of lawful, moral self-defense is “imminence,” (get a nutshell here: http://get-asp.com/wbbp or the whole concept here: http://get-asp.com/1fqe ). Imminence means the threat is happening RIGHT NOW, that it’s neither too late nor too early for you to defend yourself! The standard of imminence is seen as a triad of ability, opportunity, and jeopardy (also known as the AOJ triad, which is explained here: http://get-asp.com/pm3k in some detail). In this carjacking, imminence means that unless someone was in the car, and THEIR life is still

There are 3 additional lessons for Patron Members and 3 class starters for Instructors from this video, so please join us in those programs to see them!

Attitude. Skills. Plan.

Copyright Disclaimer. Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.

UPDATE: One shell casing was found at the scene of this carjacking, which hit the driver’s mirror. https://get-asp.com/nail

In some places in the world, carjacking is one of the chief dangers most people regularly face. Even in parts of the US, carjacking is incredibly common! (Detroit, for instance, has 2 a day) Knowing effective carjacking defense is a useful skill for self-defenders to have, and this video shows a good path.

If you value what we do at ASP, would you consider becoming an ASP Patron Member to support the work it takes to make the narrated videos like this effective carjacking defense? https://get-asp.com/patron gives the details and benefits.

What does this video teach us about defending ourselves against a carjacking?

Transitional spaces are places where we MUST be more careful of potential attack. A transitional space is any location that (1) allows attackers to prey on potential victims with an element of surprise and (2) provides ready escape for the attackers. The stupid teens used the cover of the door and the transitional space to launch their robbery from obscurity, which made the clerk react quickly and before he could process the information. Cars become transitional spaces when they’re stopped. If you’re in a stopped vehicle, you’re in a transitional space.

Perhaps the biggest benefit of situational awareness is that it buys you time and space to respond to a threat, and time and space buy you options when considering how to protect yourself and your loved ones from a threat. Time and space give you the chance to escape and evade, or time and space to get your force multiplier in the fight, and time and space to better your defensive position and give you a better chance to be victorious.

One of the best ways to protect yourself while you’re in the car is to simply drive off. The car can get away quickly if you are ready, taking you out of danger. So be ready to drive off if you need to! Keep the car in drive until you’re ready to get out. Keep the engine running. If you’re aware of your surroundings you can escape a lot of problems.

If you’re in the car, it’s worth considering the usefulness of the car lies in its speed. If you sit in it while it’s not running, you cannot use it to escape potential danger such as a carjacking. If you’re going to sit in the car, leave the car running, with an avenue to move (preferably forward), and preferably with the car still in drive if possible. At the very least, leave the car running. The car should be running the entire time you’re in it! When you get in, the order should be get in, lock the doors, start the engine, seat belt, drive off. When you park, the order is stop the car, gear in park, seatbelt off, stop the engine, IMMEDIATELY exit the vehicle and lock it.

Do not stay in the danger zone if you can possibly help it. So many times people get decision paralysis and freeze, but you cannot stay in a place where a deadly threat exists! Either act to leave the area, or act to protect yourself. Every second you give an attacker is another opportunity they have to do you and yours harm, so don’t allow that. If you can, get out of there immediately. If you can’t, then look for your opportunity to ensure your own safety by whatever means necessary. Before your Kung Fu, and before your Gun Fu, you should consider whether your best defense is Run Fu! Most attackers can’t shoot well, and if you get more than 10-15 yards from them can’t hit you when you’re moving. So get that distance to protect yourself from carjacking!

There are 3 additional lessons for Patron Members and 3 class starters for Instructors from this video, so please join us in those programs to see them!

Attitude. Skills. Plan.

Copyright Disclaimer. Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.

Your car is your best tool against a carjacking! Do you think about the relative values of your vehicle and your life in carjacking defense?

If you value what we do at ASP, would you consider becoming an ASP Patron Member to support the work it takes to make the narrated videos like this attempted carjacking? https://get-asp.com/patron gives the details and benefits.

What does this video teach us about defending ourselves against a carjacking?

Perhaps the biggest benefit of situational awareness is that it buys you time and space to respond to a threat, and time and space buy you options when considering how to protect yourself and your loved ones from a threat. Time and space give you the chance to escape and evade, or time and space to get your force multiplier in the fight, and time and space to better your defensive position and give you a better chance to be victorious.

Your car is not a private space, and you must continue to think of yourself like you’re in public. If ever you wonder if people don’t think of themselves as in public in the car, pay attention to drivers in their cars and see how often they are picking their nose or singing along at high volume. Don’t let your smartphone take all your attention when you’re in the car, either! Think of yourself as walking down the street and pay attention accordingly.

One of the best ways to protect yourself while you’re in the car is to simply drive off. The car can get away quickly if you are ready, taking you out of danger. So be ready to drive off if you need to! Keep the car in drive until you’re ready to get out. Keep the engine running. If you’re aware of your surroundings you can escape a lot of problems.

If you’re in the car, it’s worth considering the usefulness of the car lies in its speed. If you sit in it while it’s not running, you cannot use it to escape potential danger such as a carjacking. If you’re going to sit in the car, leave the car running, with an avenue to move (preferably forward), and preferably with the car still in drive if possible. At the very least, leave the car running. The car should be running the entire time you’re in it! When you get in, the order should be get in, lock the doors, start the engine, seat belt, drive off. When you park, the order is stop the car, gear in park, seatbelt off, stop the engine, IMMEDIATELY exit the vehicle and lock it.

Your car can be used as a very effective force multiplier if you are willing to use it. While a handgun might deliver 300-500 ft-lbs of energy, a car delivers on the order of 200,000 ft-lbs of energy at 40mph. (calculate your car’s KE here: https://get-asp.com/swon if you’re a nerd like me!) Being behind the wheel with a deadly threat in front of you also puts the engine block between you and the threat; engine blocks are effective cover. It makes sense to use your car if you are in it to defend yourself.

There are 3 additional lessons for Patron Members and 3 class starters for Instructors from this video, so please join us in those programs to see them!

Copyright Disclaimer. Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.

This carjacker wasn’t expecting an armed victim, but I gotta admit I laughed when he wrecks their plan!

If you value what we do at ASP, would you consider becoming an ASP Patron Member to support the work it takes to make the narrated videos like these carjackers getting owned by an armed victim? https://get-asp.com/patron gives the details and benefits.

Sorry, folks, I have no details on this one. If you have them, send them my way and I will add to the description.

What does this video teach us about defending ourselves against carjackers?

Your car can be used as a very effective force multiplier if you are willing to use it. While a handgun might deliver 300-500 ft-lbs of energy, a car delivers on the order of 200,000 ft-lbs of energy at 40mph. (calculate your car’s KE here: https://get-asp.com/swon if you’re a nerd like me!) Being behind the wheel with a deadly threat in front of you also puts the engine block between you and the threat; engine blocks are effective cover. It makes sense to use your car if you are in it to defend yourself.

Cars are constant transitional spaces. When they are moving, they’re really not, but when standing still your car is a likely place of attack. When you’re getting in or out, your awareness generally suffers because you’re distracted, providing carjackers and muggers with opportunity to ambush you. When approaching the car when it’s parked in public, it can be used as a hiding place as well. When you’re stopped at a light you have a highly valuable commodity (the car itself) and can be ambushed and carjacked. Recognize the increased risk your car brings and keep your awareness high!

One of the best ways to protect yourself while you’re in the car is to simply drive off. The car can get away quickly if you are ready, taking you out of danger. So be ready to drive off if you need to! Keep the car in drive until you’re ready to get out. Keep the engine running. If you’re aware of your surroundings you can escape a lot of problems.

If you’re the intended victim of a carjacking, you need to know what effect that the car glass will have on your marksmanship if you have to shoot through it. Generally, the closer your shot is to perpendicular the less the glass will deflect it. If your shot is NOT perpendicular to the glass, it will tend to deviate toward perpendicular to the glass as it passes through. This means if you are shooting out of your car through the windshield, the bullet will deflect high and might deflect to the side as well if you’re not shooting straight in front of you. It’s not an exact science; recognize in a carjacking that you’re likely going to have to put a number of rounds downrange to fight off the carjacker.

Marksmanship matters! The old saying is quite true: you can’t miss fast enough to win a gunfight. As a self-defender you need to practice and train to put your first shot on target as fast as you can, but the key is to put as many shots on target as possible. Usually the first person to put shots on target wins the gunfight. (not always, but usually) So putting the first shot on target every time and quickly is imperative.

There are 3 additional lessons for Patron Members and 3 class starters for Instructors from this video, so please join us in those programs to see them!

Copyright Disclaimer. Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.

When the prey is armed, the predator goes hungry! When would you have drawn if you were the armed motorcyclist?

If you value what we do at ASP, would you consider becoming an ASP Patron Member to support the work it takes to make the narrated videos like this motorcyclist getting the best of these muggers? https://get-asp.com/patron gives the details and benefits.

What does this video teach us about defending ourselves against muggers if we’re armed?

Perhaps the biggest benefit of situational awareness is that it buys you time and space to respond to a threat, and time and space buy you options when considering how to protect yourself and your loved ones from a threat. Time and space give you the chance to escape and evade, or time and space to get your force multiplier in the fight, and time and space to better your defensive position and give you a better chance to be victorious.

Transitional spaces are places where we MUST be more careful of potential attack. A transitional space is any location that (1) allows attackers to prey on potential victims with an element of surprise and (2) provides ready escape for the attackers. Entering and exiting your vehicle is a likely time to strike for muggers, whether that vehicle is a car, a bus, or as here a motorcycle. Take a bit of time to be more aware of your risks when transitioning into or out of your car.

One of the most significant paradigms of using deadly force is called the may-should-must paradigm. “May” asks whether your force is lawful (and, if LEO, within policy). “Should” asks whether the rewards outweigh the risks of not acting or of unintended consequences. “Must” asks whether this is the only course of action that can affect the necessary outcome. Knowing how to apply this paradigm in deadly force encounters, in the moment, is an important responsibility for self-defenders! Here the armed motorcyclist met the “may”, and therefore he probably won’t have legal problems. But should and must are also important, and as a self-defender you should consider them and whether it would have been better not to engage with the gun here.

Feigning compliance can be an excellent strategy in an armed robbery to buy you time to find your opportunity to defend yourself. The hands-up, palms-out posture tells the armed robbers that you’re compliant, and might give you the opportunity to defend yourself when they stop focusing on you. That’s what this motorcyclist did, and it worked well for him.

The goal in any defensive firearms use is to stop the threat. Never draw a firearm if you’re not willing to use it, but if the presence of the firearm stops the threat, don’t pull the trigger! If the bad guy flees or surrenders, that’s a very successful defensive firearm use and you’ve met the goal. If your first shots stop the threat, don’t take more shots that can turn a defensive encounter into charges for you. Shoot as many times as you must in order to stop the threat, and once the threat stops, reassess and stop shooting.

There are 3 additional lessons for Patron Members and 3 class starters for Instructors from this video, so please join us in those programs to see them!

Copyright Disclaimer. Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.

Kidnapping is very common in some parts of the world, and even in the US it’s not unheard of! Having our Attitude, Skills, and Plan in place to use our car effectively in our self-defense plan is important no matter where we live.

If you value what we do at ASP, would you consider becoming an ASP Patron Member to support the work it takes to make the narrated videos like this kidnapping? https://get-asp.com/patron gives the details.

What does this video teach us about protecting ourselves from kidnapping when in our car?

You must accept that danger exists and that it can happen to you. This is the foundational core of spiritual fitness and the first step in taking proactive steps to protect yourself and your loved ones. If you live in a fantasyland that nothing bad can happen because nothing bad has happened in the past, you’re setting yourself up for a terrible letdown. One of the factors that I see in this kidnapping is that the woman in the driver’s seat doesn’t appear to be ready to defend herself.

Situational awareness is your best friend. It doesn’t mean that you always are paranoid or living in “condition orange,” but it does mean that you know Col. Cooper’s color code of awareness and you live by it. Pay attention to your surroundings, and recognize that when you’re in public places you need to be more aware of your surroundings than when you’re in private. This woman was okay at that and stopped with distance to spare, which gave her a chance!

Never, ever, under any circumstances allow yourself to be taken to a second location. The odds of terrible things happening to you rise exponentially when an attacker is allowed to get you isolated and in private. You must make the decision that if an attacker tries to take you to a second location that you will fight to the death to prevent that. This takes spiritual fitness, the courage to know what you’re willing to fight for.

One significant strategy that works (if you don’t have tools or skills to mount a more effective defense) to keep from being taken to a second location in a kidnapping is to drop to the ground and use your legs to keep the kidnapper from moving you. Nothing good happens at the second location, so dropping to the ground can keep you from being moved! The way I talk about it is this: have you ever tried to pick up a toddler who didn’t want to be moved? It’s TOUGH! Now think about doing it to an adult. Flop down, stay on your back, and use your legs to kick the attacker off. Jiu jitsu practitioners use this strategy when grounded pretty routinely.

Your car can be used as a very effective force multiplier if you are willing to use it. While a handgun might deliver 300-500 ft-lbs of energy, a car delivers on the order of 200,000 ft-lbs of energy at 40mph. (calculate your car’s KE here: https://get-asp.com/swon if you’re a nerd like me!) Being behind the wheel with a deadly threat in front of you also puts the engine block between you and the threat; engine blocks are effective cover. It makes sense to use your car if you are in it to defend yourself.

There are 3 additional lessons for Patron Members and 3 class starters for Instructors from this video, so please join us in those programs to see them!

Copyright Disclaimer. Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.

If your car can help you avoid a carjacking attempt, you’d be a fool not to use it as the primary agent in your Active Self Protection! This driver used his car well both before and during, and this carjacking never stood a chance.

If you value what we do at ASP, would you consider becoming an ASP Patron Member to support the work it takes to make the narrated videos like this carjacking? https://get-asp.com/patron gives the details.

What does this armored car owner teach us about escaping a carjacking?

Transitional spaces are places where we MUST be more careful of potential attack. A transitional space is any location that (1) allows attackers to prey on potential victims with an element of surprise and (2) provides ready escape for the attackers. Wherever your car is stopped is a place where a carjacking can happen, so be aware of that chance!

In any territorial or predatorial violence, the attacker gets to set the time and circumstances of the attack. They will almost always launch that attack from ambush, or as we like to call it in Umas, from “obscurity.” Surviving that ambush is one of the most important keys to successfully defending yourself. Here the car owner had time because they had the armored car to protect them from the carjacking attempt!

A life of self-protection must be dedicated to avoidance, de-escalation, and escape whenever possible. You win 100% of the fights that you don’t get in, so make a commitment to de-escalate, escape, or evade any encounter you possibly can. Having good situational awareness will give you more time and opportunity to see problems coming and formulate a plan to stay away and protect yourself without danger to yourself or others. This is always our first choice as self-defenders. Perhaps the best way to win a carjacking attempt is to escape!

I can’t believe how often I have to say this, but LOCK YOUR CAR DOORS. When you get in the car, lock the doors. If your car automatically unlocks the doors when you put it in park or shut the engine off, read your owner’s manual and change that setting. Your car door is a great barrier to keep between you and any potential carjacking, so keep it locked for your safety! Your order of operations should be get in the car, lock the doors, start the car, seatbelt on, drive off.

Your car is not a private space, and you must continue to think of yourself like you’re in public. If ever you wonder if people don’t think of themselves as in public in the car, pay attention to drivers in their cars and see how often they are picking their nose or singing along at high volume. Don’t let your smartphone take all your attention when you’re in the car, either! Think of yourself as walking down the street and pay attention accordingly. Situational awareness in your car can let you escape a carjacking faster than this guy did!

There are 3 additional lessons for Patron Members and 3 class starters for Instructors from this ATTACK, so please join us in those programs to see them!

Copyright Disclaimer. Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.

Knowing how best to defend yourself against a carjacking attempt is incredibly important in most of the world! Having appropriate Active Self Protection and knowing what your best solutions are to a carjacking attempt can keep you safe.

If you value what we do at ASP, would you consider becoming an ASP Patron Member to support the work it takes to make the narrated videos like this carjacking attempt? https://get-asp.com/patron gives the details.

What does this video teach us about the realities of defense against carjacking?

Situational awareness is your best friend in carjacking defense. It doesn’t mean that you always are paranoid or living in “condition orange,” but it does mean that you know Col. Cooper’s color code of awareness and you live by it. Pay attention to your surroundings, and recognize that when you’re in public places you need to be more aware of your surroundings than when you’re in private. Here the victim knew something was up and that gave him warning of the carjacking attempt, which gave him options.

Transitional spaces are places where we MUST be more careful of potential attack. A transitional space is any location that (1) allows attackers to prey on potential victims with an element of surprise and (2) provides ready escape for the attackers. Wherever you have a stopped car in public you have a transitional space, whether that’s a carjacking attempt or a mugging. The home gates are a prime location for a carjacking in many parts of the world!

In any territorial or predatorial violence, the attacker gets to set the time and circumstances of the attack. They will almost always launch that attack from ambush, or as we like to call it in Umas, from “obscurity.” Surviving that ambush is one of the most important keys to successfully defending yourself against a carjacking. The carjackers always get to set the time and place of the ambush, so surviving a carjacking attempt takes attitude, skills, and plan!

One of the best ways to protect yourself against a carjacking attempt is to simply drive off. The car can get away quickly if you are ready, taking you out of danger. So be ready to drive off if you need to and there’s an avenue! Keep the car in drive until you’re ready to get out (or reverse, as in this carjacking). Keep the engine running. If you’re aware of your surroundings you can escape a lot of problems.

Your car is not a private space, and you must continue to think of yourself like you’re in public. If ever you wonder if people don’t think of themselves as in public in the car, pay attention to drivers in their cars and see how often they are picking their nose or singing along at high volume. Don’t let your smartphone take all your attention when you’re in the car, either! Think of yourself as walking down the street and pay attention accordingly, because carjackings happen when you’re not paying attention.

There are 3 additional lessons for Patron Members and 3 class starters for Instructors from this carjacking, so please join us in those programs to see them!

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